Specifics of a foreign language as a school subject.

Plan:

1. Specifics of a foreign language as a school subject.

2. The component of what to teach.

3. Factors of a foreign language.

For school syllabus the first component of what to teach is “habits” & “skills” which learners should acquire. According to the aims of learning a FL they are: listening, speaking, reading, writing. The level of habits & skills is determined by the syllabus for each form. But quantitative & qualitative characteristics of skills are different for various types of schools. In general teachers have some directions to the level of skills that should be reached in each particular form & their development from form to form. E.g. The requirement for listening: 5^th form pupils should be able to understand oral language on the basis of the known material whereas in the senior stage the material for auditing may admit 2% of unfamiliar words.

Linguistic component:

It includes the language material (sentence patterns, pattern-dialogues, texts in different styles arranged in topics).Fe. Topics for junior stage: “Animals”, “Home”, “Toys”, “Nature” etc. The topical material for senior stage covers the life of people, history, geography of different countries, science fiction.

To linguistic material refers grammar & vocabulary material. This material is defined for each level according to the school syllabus. E.g. Quantitative amount of words is determined as 2000 words in active vocabulary & 4000 words in passive.

Methodological component:

Learners should be taught to learn the FL, how to attain the aims at the subject. E.g. How to memorize words & keep them in memory; how to perform creative exercises, grammar drill exercises.

1. Reasons of studying FL.

School Curriculum. Students need to learn FL because it’s on the school curriculum.

Promotion in the carrier. FL offers a chance for advancement in professional live especially

EL as it has become the international language of communication.

Target Language Community. Some students need to know English language to live & survive in a TLC. A TLC is one where the inhabitants speak the language which the student is learning.

Specific Purposes for learning English. English for Occupational Purposes- for businessmen, air-waiters; E for Academic Purposes- for students in different branches of sciences; E for Science & Technology.

That’s why not all the students will be treated in the same way.

2. Motivation Factors.

Motivation is an internal drive that encourages somebody to pursue a course of action. If we define the goal and if that goal is sufficiently attractive we will be strongly motivated to do whatever is necessary to achieve that goal. In general strongly motivated learners are probably easier to teach than those who have no such goals. To show that motivation affects performance of what has been learned is not the same as demonstrating its effect on the process of learning itself. This would require that individuals learn under various levels of motivation and be tested under the same incentive levels. (This is to control for the effects of motivation on performance alone.) And, indeed, the best-controlled experiments of this design indicate learning effects to be the same under different levels of motivation.

There are two main categories of motivation factor: extrinsic, which is concerned factors outside the classroom; intrinsic, which is concerned with what is taken inside the classroom.

Extrinsic Motivation is formed by the following factors: advertisements, mass media, popular music, parents and so on. Extrinsic Motivation is subdivided into integrative & instrumental.

Integrative motivation means that students are attracted by the culture of the target language community. They wish to integrate themselves into that culture. A weaker form of such motivation would be the desire to know more about the culture of TLC (Target Language Community is that community in which a person intends to live, to deal with)

The term ‘instrumental ’ describes a situation in which students believe that mastery of the language will be an instrument in getting them a better job, position or status. The language is an instrument in their attainment of such a goal.

Students have to be prepared to take some responsibility for their own learning.

Teacher’s role about this type of motivation is to ensure that students view the language and the learning experience in a positive light.

Intrinsic Motivation includes the following factors: the atmosphere in the classroom, their positive attitude to the subject, physical conditions, method, the teacher, success.

a) Physical conditions can alter a student motivation either positively or negatively. Classroom that is badly lit & overcrowded can be excessively de-motivating. The board should be easily visible & its surface should be in good condition & smooth. In general teachers should try to make their classrooms as pleasant as possible. The grey atmosphere may be improved with posters, students’ works, placards & so on.

b) Method must have some effect on learners’ motivation. If they find it deadly boring they will become de-motivated. This is the most difficult work to find an appropriate method to certain students. The teacher should know & meet their expectations. There is no definite answer which method is the best. But students’ confidence is largely in the hands of the teacher.

c) The teacher define success of his/her learners.Using the same method the 2 teachers can have vastly different results. Children determined 10 qualities of a teacher in the following order:

1. he makes his course interesting

2. he teaches good pronunciation

3. he explains clearly

4. he speaks good English

5. he shows the same interest in all his students

6. he makes all the students participate

7. he shows great patience

8. he insists on spoken language

9. he makes his pupils work

10. he uses an audio-lingual method

Students are more concerned that the classes should be interesting. 3 of the top qualities are concerned with the relationship between teacher & student.

Some additional qualities:

-he shows sympathy for his learners

-he is fair to all his students (whether good or bad at English)

-he inspires confidence

Also they want the teacher to be fun.

Many students mentioned the need for teachers to motivate students through enjoyable & interesting classes.

In general in the first place students appreciate the teacher’s personality and the teacher need to create a good rapport (classroom relationship) with the students. Partly this happens by providing interesting and motivating classes; partly this comes from treating all the students the same and acting upon their hopes & aspiration. Lastly teachers need to be able to show the good knowledge of the subject. “If you don’t know what you are talking about they soon see it through you.”

You must have as a far as possible to have answers to their questions but not be ashamed of your incompetence at the same time.

d) Success or lack of it plays a vital part in the motivational drive of a student. It is the teacher’s job to set the task & the goals right where his/her students can be successful & these tasks should be realistically expected & achieved. To give very high challenge activities that is not appropriate for this type of students may have a negative effect on motivation. The same is true to low challenge. Students should have some difficulties & apply some efforts to achieve the task. To achieve the real success the teacher’s job concerns getting the level of challenge right, to chose the type of tasks, the speed of fulfillment, etc.

Control questions:

1. What are specifics of a foreign language?

2. What’s component of what to teach?

3. What factors are in foreign language?

Recommended literature:

1. Педагогическая психология. И.А.Зимняя, М., 1997

2. Психологические основы формирования личности в педагогическом коллективе. А.Коссаковски, М., 1961

3. Психологический справочник учителя. Л.М.Фридман, 1991